Kartoshka Chocolate Cake Truffles (Potato Pirozhnoye)

You won’t find these growing in the dirt! These are not of the naturally grown truffles, but they are still some wonderfully tasty little nuggets.

Who remembers chocolate salami? It’s one of those desserts where the name doesn’t directly relate to the actual dessert but makes sense with an explanation! This Kartoshka is similar to that. So let me explain, folks, no need to be shocked.

As a kid, neither name made sense to me at first. The chocolate salami dessert is called a salami only in name because of its shape and appearance. It is made in a long tubule and cut into slices for serving, similarly to cutting a salami sausage. There are no actual salami products in it. Just as this dessert is not made with potato. 😀

Now my own children grapple with this same idea. Similarly, this dessert is called a kartoshka, or potato, only in name. It is hard for them to comprehend what the name has to do with actual dessert, other than it kind of looks like a potato. It sure does takes some reassurance every time I make it that it’s not made out of potatoes.

I absolutely

… loved, loved these potato looking delicious treats and of course still enjoy them very much. Kartoshka has always been one of the most popular desserts in Ukraine, just like the chocolate salami. It is super simple to make but taste so good it makes your taste buds dance! No, truly!

This recipe is very close to or just about the same as I remember it from childhood. It sure brings a lot of sweet childhood memories, let me know if this jogs up your memories. These soft and delicate truffles made of lightly cooked condensed milk, mixed well in butter is what holds other yummy ingredients together: toasted and crushed pecans, lots of cocoa and vanilla make them taste irresistible! Include this in your upcoming Mother’s Day, and you most likely won’t fail to surprise and impress her! Enjoy! 🙂

Ingredients:

2 – 9” – white sponge cakes
8 oz. (226 g) – unsalted butter
14 oz. (396 g) – lightly cooked condensed milk
4 tbsp. – cocoa powder + 2 tbsp. for dusting
1 cup – pecans
1/8 tsp. – sea salt
2 tsp. – pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Make the sponge cakes. Beat 8 eggs and 1 sugar for 5 minutes or until fluffy and a cream color. Sift in 2 cups of flour two additions. Mix in the flour carefully not to deflate too many air bubbles.

2. Divide batter equally between 2 – 9” pans greased with butter. Bake in the oven at 350 F oven for 18 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the cake sponges cool completely (I make the sponge cakes and cook condensed milk the night before making kartoshka).

3. Crush sponge cakes in the food processer1/2 sponge at a time.

4. Transfer the crumbs onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

5. Bake/toast crumbs for 15 minutes in preheated oven to 350 F (180 C). Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.

6. Crush pecans in the food processor.

7. Transfer to a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake/toast for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.

Assembling Kartoshka:

1. Cream softened butter on high for 5 minutes using pedal mixer attachment. Add lightly cooked condensed milk and beat it together for 2 minutes, scrape the sides of the mixer bowl and beat it again for a minute or so.

2. Add cake crumbs, pecan crumbs, cocoa powder, salt into a mixer bowl with a cream. Using pedal attachment mix all of the ingredients on low for 30 seconds. Add vanilla extract and mix for another minute or until all combined. Using ice cream scoop (the amount of mixture is roughly ¼ of a cup), scoop the cake mixture roll it into a ball, then into an oval shape.

3. Place shaped kartoshka onto a platter.

4. Dust with cocoa powder, then transfer into mini cupcake liners. Store it in the container covered with a lid.

NOTE: I like kartoshka firm in texture. If you prefer it a bit softer texture, let it sit at the room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

5 from 1 vote

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Kartoshka Chocolate Cake Truffles (Potato Pirozhnoye)

Prep Time

55 mins

Cook Time

42 mins

Total Time

1 hr 37 mins

 

This Kartoshka recipe is very close to or just about the same as I remember it from childhood. It sure brings a lot of sweet childhood memories, let me know if this jogs up your memories. These soft and delicate truffles made of lightly cooked condensed milk, mixed well in butter is what holds other yummy ingredients together: toasted and crushed pecans, lots of cocoa and vanilla make them taste irresistible! 🙂

Author: Valya at Valya's Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 2 – 9” – white sponge cakes
• 8 oz. 226 g – unsalted butter softened
• 14 oz. 396 g – lightly cooked condensed milk
• 4 tbsp. – cocoa powder + 2 tbsp. for dusting
• 1 cup – pecans
• 1/8 tsp. – sea salt
• 2 tsp. – pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Make the sponge cakes. Beat 8 eggs and 1 sugar for 5 minutes or until fluffy and a cream color. Sift in 2 cups of flour two additions. Mix in the flour carefully not to deflate too many air bubbles.

2. Divide batter equally between 2 – 9” pans greased with butter. Bake in the oven at 350 F oven for 18 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the cake sponges cool completely (I make the sponge cakes and cook condensed milk the night before making kartoshka).
3. Crush sponge cakes in the food processer1/2 sponge at a time.
4. Transfer the crumbs onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
5. Bake/toast crumbs for 15 minutes in preheated oven to 350 F (180 C). Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
6. Crush pecans in the food processor.
7. Transfer to a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake/toast for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
8. Assembling Kartoshka:
9. Cream softened butter on high for 5 minutes using pedal mixer attachment. Add lightly cooked condensed milk and beat it together for 2 minutes, s scrape the sides of the mixer bowl and beat it again for a minute or so.
10. Add cake crumbs, pecan crumbs, cocoa powder, salt into a mixer bowl with a cream. Using pedal attachment mix all of the ingredients on low for 30 seconds. Add vanilla extract and mix for another minute or until all combined. Using ice cream scoop (the amount of mixture is roughly ¼ of a cup), scoop the cake mixture roll it into a ball, then into an oval shape.
11. Place shaped kartoshka onto a platter.
12. Dust with cocoa powder, then transfer into mini cupcake liners. Store it in the container covered with a lid.

Recipe Notes

I like kartoshka firm in texture. If you prefer it a bit softer texture, let it sit at the room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

If you make this Kartoshka Chocolate Cake Truffles (Potato Pirozhnoye) Recipe please share a picture with me on Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. Tag with #valyastasteofhome. I’d love to see your creations! 🙂

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